


Running out of Reasons not to Feel This; I can tell You're Dying to Try

by FunkyClown



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Fluff, I hope to mention all the kids if they fit in lol, Mild Hurt/Comfort, and anything else you'd like to project in, does deal with some mental illnesses like depression and anxiety, no violence but has swears, telltale the walking dead, the walking dead telltale, very likely will have some minor parings in the background but not main focus, wlw, yeah college au is so basic im sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-08-21 00:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16565639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FunkyClown/pseuds/FunkyClown
Summary: College is a pain, but both Violet and Clementine are going through it at different paces. Maybe the two of them could actually have some fun. Classes, jobs, studying, independence, loneliness, friendships, fights, love, comfort, other buzzwords.Pretty much just an excuse for Clem and Vi bonding and having fun.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ah yes, the college AU fic, a pretty basic premise, I know. If I'm stuck in college at least these fictional characters can enjoy it a bit more. Maybe if I get more time I can cook up something more creative lol. This is mainly about Clem and Vi's relationship, although other characters from other seasons will play a part or at least be mentioned possibly...... at some point......  
> Also I feel bad having to minimize some characters, so if your favorite isn't around much, I'm sorry, these games have a big cast and it's mainly about the gal pals here!  
> If it isn't obvious, the boarding school characters shown are aged up to around 19 through 22. Specific ages will be mentioned in story at some point.  
> Cheers! Enjoy!

“Hey, excuse me, this bus goes close to Como Avenue, doesn’t it?” 

Violet looked over at the young woman who was talking to her. She had been standing at the bus sign trying to make sense of the awfully mapped out bus line since before Violet had got here. She had been hoping the stranger wouldn’t talk to her, but had at least some sympathy since the map truely was awful. 

“It goes pretty close.” She said, “It stops at Manhattan, which means it’s about two blocks walk to Como.” She went over to the sign and traced her fingers along the route that would take her there. 

“Okay, so it’ll stop there before getting to Tassle Road?” 

“Mhm. That ends up right there.” Violet pointed to the stop that she herself would also get off, Tassle Road. 

“Alright, thanks. I’m not really familiar with the area yet, just moved here over the summer.” She looked pretty embarrassed and gave a weak smile. 

“Yeah, whatever, don’t worry about it. The bus map is terrible.” 

Clementine embarrassingly smiled and nodded in agreement. She turned away from the map stood now closer to Violet, at a more appropriate place to wait.

“So, do you go here?”

“Hm?”

“To Rivers University.” Clem pointed her head towards the west campus buildings behind her. 

“Oh, yeah, I do. Sophomore year. Um.. you?”

“Yeah, started this term. Barely full time though.” 

“Where’d you move her from?” Violet asked after an uncomfortable silence. She knew she had waited to long to speak again, but both of them sitting there not saying anything seemed even worse. She glanced down at her phone: the bus was already 5 minutes late. 

“Georgia. Someone I live with got a job opportunity out here, teaching at the college campus actually. He’s an English and History teacher.” Despite the vague details she gave, Clementine couldn’t help a proud smile on her face.

“Really?” Violet’s interest was perked, “What class is he teaching this semester?”

“The history of great literature. I’m not super into English myself, but it seems like it’s interesting. It’s about classic literature and how it became thought of as classics. He’s throwing in stuff he calls ‘the new classics’, something he and other English professors are all about now.” 

“Hm, I’ve heard of them. I’m, like, an English major, so I thought I’d ask.” 

“Then you’d get along with him,” Clem lightly chuckled. “I’m Clementine, by the way.” 

“Violet.” She smiled slightly back as the bus screeched to a stop next to them. 

The two of them climbed on as four running students behind them also pushed in. The bus wasn’t all that full, and Violet was happy to see the window seat she usually sat at was open still. She noticed that her new acquaintance took the two open seats across from her, throwing her backpack on to the one she didn’t occupy. 

“I’m picking up someone from Como Middle School.” Clem texted AJ, the very someone she was picking up, about the Manhattan stop where he should meet her. She hoped that made it clear as to why she was hogging two seats. “I haven’t really taken the bus around here anywhere. My car needs to be brought in, the brake light's on.” 

“That sucks.” Violet pulled out her phone, scrolling through her list of shuffled songs before finding the one she actually wanted to listen too. “I know someone who works at a car shop, maybe he could get you a deal or whatever.”

“Oh what, the Stranger Special?” Clementine joked.

Violet let out a slight laugh, her lip twitching up into a brief smile. “He’d thank me for the reference.”  
“Is this stop hard to find?” 

“No. There’s some middle schoolers who take this line after school. It’s pretty close.” 

“He’s just kind of a nervous kid. Doesn’t like to be in new places alone.” Clem looked down with concern at her text conversation: 

-Can you meet me at the Manhattan bus stop after school?  
-Yea  
-Do you know how to get to it?  
-Yea  
-How did your presentation go today?  
-It was ok. I think i’ll at least get some points for the powerpoint  
-Did you not finish the speech?  
-My partner didnt finish the speech I winged it alright though. At least a c  
-I bet you did better than that Alright we’re almost at the stop

The rest of the ride to the stop went by silently between the two women. Violet put her right ear bud in, but kept her left ear open, because maybe the new girl would want to talk to her more, it was whatever. Clementine seemed to be busy looking through some paper handouts. 

The bus squeaked and pushed to a halt by the side of the road, near a local barbers and sub shop. Four middle schoolers got on, making the bus feel much more crowded than it actually was with their hollers and laughter. Behind them trailed AJ, who was holding on to the straps of his blue backpack and looking hesitantly at the driver, seeming to be trying to mimic what the kids before him were doing. 

Clementine stood up and hobbled to the front of the bus, not trusting the vibrating beneath her.

“He’s with me, here, I have a pass for him.” She showed it to the driver, who gave a “Humph, alright.” and let him walk past. 

“Hey goofball!” Clementine playfully pulled him close, it becoming more a shove as they couldn’t walk side by side down the thin middle isle. Which was sort of what she intended anyway. 

“Eh, stop! You’re gonna make me trip.” He tried to sound annoyed but grinned to see her.

As Clementine got back she realized she had made the mistake of grabbing her own backpack off the bus seat she was saving for AJ. Someone had already took it, a man who was on the phone, seeming to be in a conversation about deadlines. 

“I wanna sit by you, Clem.” AJ seemed to pick up on the situation from Clementine’s hesitation. 

“You can have my side.” Violet stood up and waddled out from between the back of the seats. 

“Really? You don’t have to-”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t care.” Violet sat next to the man, putting her bag on the floor. 

“Thanks Violet, we really appreciate it.” Clem gave a grateful smile as AJ hopped at the window seat. 

“It’s no problem.” Violet shrugged, taking out her ear bud and putting it on her left side now. 

AJ glanced over at Violet then looked up at Clem to read her expression. 

“AJ, this is Violet. She was helping me with the bus lines.”

Violet gave a subtle wave at the boy, who returned the gesture with a small “Hey.” 

“Say thanks for giving up her seat for us.” 

“It’s really not-” Violet started.

“Thanks.” He gave a bit more enthusiasm than before, throwing in a smile. 

“Yeah, like I said, no problem” Violet gave a smile back. 

“How long is the bus ride going to be?” AJ focused his attention back on Clementine. 

“Well if you’re getting off on Tassle Road, it’s going to be around 20 minutes.” Violet had turned back to her phone, still having not chosen a song. 

“That’s plenty of time for you to get started on your homework.” Clem said.

“I don’t have much homework.” 

“Didn’t you have a chemistry workbook due next week?” 

“Yeah,I guess.” AJ gave an annoyed sigh. He opened up his backpack and thumbed through some plastic and paper folders, some already having been creased and ripped from only the few months spent at school. 

“I have readings to do too.” Clementine got out the same packet of paper she had been paging through before. Through sideways glances at the flashes of turned pages, Violet recognized it as an intro packet for a Composition class, either beginner or advance. She had the former last year and was taking the advanced one this semester.

Violet slid back into the deep purple and maroon splotched seat. She turned her music back on, falling into the rhythm of tapping the ‘next’ button to each song. Too happy. Too sad. Too loud. Too slow. To many memories… she needed to delete some of these off her phone. She felt her mind numbing out, absorbed in watching the titles and album covers flash by, the murmur and mumble of the rest of the passengers on the bus.

“Is this yours?” 

A voice startled her out of her trance and she whipped her head over to her left to see Clementine reaching over across the aisle, holding a purple pin. 

“Yeah,” She quickly grabbed the pin out of her hand. “It must have fallen off my backpack. The back is kinda loose.” She slipped it into her jean jacket pocket.

“AJ found it on the ground and since you were here last,” Clem gave a friendly nod. 

“Thanks.” Violet ran her fingers over the face of the pin in her pocket. Memories of her sister giving it to her in high school after a trip to the mall. She said it was free at a booth there, but Violet knew she must have bought it, truly a grand gesture based on the meger salary of high school kids. She tried to forget most of high school, but thought the pin was cool enough to keep, especially since it was an important gesture from her sister. 

“It’s a cool pin.” AJ was craning his neck over to look. “I like the design. I want to make pins and stuff of my own art. Posters or something.”

“You’re an artist?” Violet asked.

“Yeah! I take a whole bunch of art classes! And have a lot of books about drawing.” AJ beamed over at Violet.  
“He’s really good at it!” Clementine added, looking equally as excited. 

“That’s cool. You should keep working on it, talents like that can get you far.” Violet replied. “Or chemistry. But it’s not as fun.”

AJ snickered “That’s true.” He reluctantly turned back to the booklet he was working on, filling out equations.  
The bus wheezed and lurched to a stop. Violet stood up, grabbing her bag. She pointed her head at the exit of the bus when Clementine and AJ looked up at her movement. “Tassle Road. If that’s where your stop is.”

“You get out here too?” Clem stood and helped gather AJ’s stray papers as a two people walked past them off the stop. 

“Yeah, I share an apartment here. Down the road.” The three of them exited the bus into the light breeze of fall, leaves spinning to the ground. 

“We’re on the opposite side, at a duplex rental house.” Clem pointed across and further down the road. 

“Good luck with rentals around here. Some friends of mine live in one, they say the landlord is a piece of shit.” 

“I imagine the landlord’s a piece of shit to a bunch of partying college kids, not so much to a professor.” 

“Heh, that’s probably true.” Violet couldn’t help a grin, remembering the last noise complaint. It was 4 days ago.

“Well, thanks for the navigation help, Violet. I owe you one.” Clem smiled she stuck out her hand. 

“Yeah, I was going this way anyway so,” Violet shrugged, but took up her hand. 

Clem tried to play it off casually, but knew her hand must have felt sweaty to the other student. Both were overly conscious of their hands touching. Even for those quick seconds, feeling a stranger’s skin was always overly intimate for Violet, even if this stranger was more of an acquaintance now. 

“Maybe when my car gets fixed I can give you a ride. It’s a lot shorter than taking the bus. Way better for the winter.”

“Yeah, maybe. I guess until then you’re stuck on the bus, huh?” Violet asked.

“Seems like it.” Clem replied. She saw AJ’s shoulders slouch. “It’s better for the planet anyway. See you around.” She waved at Violet as started walking down the sidewalk. 

“See ya.” Violet turned to walk the other way. She heard Clementine talking to AJ about something that was out of earshot before she put both her earbuds in and listened to whatever was on. 

_________________

Clementine fumbled with the duplex keys, her fingers not wanting to leave her warm pockets. The lights were on, but she knew Lee wasn’t home. Both of them would leave the lights on when the house was empty. You can never be too careful. She looked at the oven clock. 4:00.

“What do you want for dinner, goofball? Sandwiches again?” Clementine absentmindedly shuffled through the mail left on the table. Most of it junk. 

“I told you I don’t like when you call me that. It’s stupid.” AJ was looking in the fridge. Even though the three of them haven’t been here long, there was already some of AJ’s drawing hanging by magnets. 

“Okay, what do you want for dinner, little shit?” Clementine poked him in the ribs as AJ laughed. She swooped over him and grabbed some lunch meat out of the fridge. 

\----------------

Violet scanned her ID card into the ancient building that was the student apartments. Being well into autumn it barely felt warmer in the poorly insulated hallways. One of the many things she hated about living here. As she stopped before her door, she noticed the light leaking through the bottom of the door. With a disgruntled sigh she braced herself before opening the door. 

“Hey Violet!” Brody was standing in her bedrooms doorway, having heard her reluctant roommate come in. “I was wondering if you wanted to go out to go with me and the guys to Phat’s tonight. It’s Thursday, they have the four dollar mules tonight.” She put on a persuasive grin. 

“I’m probably just going to stay here tonight. I have a lot of shit to study.” Violet had a trajectory to her room, lobbing her backpack into her dark room aiming for her bed with the light filtering in from the kitchen/living room area. It bounced off and thumped to the ground. 

“Alright….. If ya’ sure….” Brody’s voice hung with disappointment and concern, chest fallen. She gathered up her keys, phone, pass card, and wallet in a small pleather handbag detailed with yellow and red thread. Although it was only 4:30, it took fifteen minutes to walk to the guys’ rental and another thirty to get to Phat’s Pub, assuming the group made good time, which was unlikely.

Brody was at the door, her lips seconds away from saying her goodbye. Violet stared into her dark room, picturing her sitting there for the rest of the night, eating leftover rice if she was lucky it wasn’t moldy yet, typing up homework on her laptop for the next three hours before getting lost in stupid videos on Youtube. 

“Wait.” She caught Brody’s wide eyes. “I’ll go with you guys tonight.” 

“Really?” Brody perked up.

“Yeah, you shouldn’t walk there alone anyway, since it gets dark so fast now.” Violet shrugged, using her grabbing her keys and wallet from her bedroom as an excuse to break eye contact. 

“This is gonna be super fun! We really don’t get out enough together!” Brody pulled on her thicker vest for the outdoor weather and locked the door behind them. 

“Louis is taking composition one isn’t he?” 

“Yeah, I think so. I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it if you ask him.” Brody playfully rolled her eyes. “Why?” 

“I was just wondering if he knew if someone was in his class.” 

“He probably knows everyone in that class.”

The two women briskly jogged down the creaking stairs and out into the slightly colder fall day. They kept up a quick pace along the boulevards that crunched with orange and brown leaves, seeing stray people occasionally running in and out of group houses and apartments. They kept pace with each other, but stepped in silence.  
“I’m glad you’re coming with.” Brody said. “We missed seeing you.” 

“Shit Brody, you make it sound like I’ve died.” Violet scoffed. 

“Sorry! It’s just… we’re all sorry for what happened with you and Minnie last year.” 

“Yeah, it’s whatever.” Violet sunk her face into her jacket collar. She knew she’d answered with too much malice in her voice but didn’t bother to correct her tone. Brody looked back down at her shoes. The two walked silently again, accompanied by the occasional chitter of squirrels and gust of passing buses and cars.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clem needs help with class papers, and Violet is versed in the class. These two seem to keep running into each other.... maybe they should hang out sometime....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm hoping to be able to upload chapters around this length weekly on either Wednesdays or Thursdays :)  
> I hope ya stick around!  
> (also I recognize this chapter is fairly lowkey, next chapter things are gonna start kicking off!)

The jarring melody of Clementine’s alarm pierced her brain. With half opened eyes she reached for her phone on the bedside table and sloppily tapped the snooze button. She rubbed her fingers over her eyes then looked over at the lump of AJ’s body under the blankets. She pulled open the pale yellow curtains and heard AJ squirm. 

“Time to get going-” Clementine barely finished yawning when she turned to see AJ power walking quicky for the door. She made a valiant but half-hearted effort to beat him to the hallway but the kid was already out the door and dashing towards the bathroom down the hall. 

“Don’t take too long we only have an hour!” Clementine called as she went to shut the door and quickly got changed. 

Although it was mainly for necessity they shared a room, both AJ and Clementine didn’t mind it. When AJ was younger he had particular difficulty sleeping, often suffering from panic attacks being alone at night in a room and could only get any peaceful sleep with Clementine nearby. They both were accustomed to sharing spaces and would collaborate to make their rooms more fitting, AJ taping up piece of art he drew (less pleasing to Clem was the mess he made with his art supplies which he left piled on the floor or around the house) and Clementine kept an eclectic collection of items she found growing up, her favorite being an animal skull she found on a hike with Lee. The three of them hadn’t been here for more than four months but already AJ and her made sure to break out and unpack any items to make the place seem welcoming. 

With one last rub of her eyes she left her room and switched places with AJ, who was already coming down the hallway after using the bathroom. 

“Beat you,” He yawned, walking past. 

“Uh-huh.” Clementine couldn’t muster as much competition as him this early in the morning. She ran a brush through her waves of black hair, teasing out all the bedhead snarls. After splashing cold water on her face she padded down the carpeted stairs towards the smell of semi burnt toast. Lee was down in the kitchen having woken up only an hour before her and AJ. 

“Morning, Clem.” Lee was sitting at the table, paging through the newspaper, with jam toast and cereal. 

“Morning.” She started looking for something warm to prepare and settled on oatmeal. She stole a mug of coffee from the pot Lee had made.  
“You don’t have class today, right Sweetpea?” 

“No class, but I’m stopping in at the writing office today. I need to get a paper looked over.”  
“The same paper you won’t let me look at?” Lee chuckled.

“I just want someone who’s taken the class to look it over. You can look at it when I get an A on it.” Clementine gingerly touched the coffee to her lips to test it’s heat before taking a sip. 

“You’re a good writer, Clem. I know you’ll do well on it. No harm in using your resources though.” Lee turned a crinkling page to the sports section as Clementine sat down with her bowl. 

“You have any shifts today?” he asked. Both turned briefly to recognize AJ entering through the living room. Lee gave him a morning greeting as well. 

“Yup.” She grimaced into the coffee cup. “Sorry AJ, I won’t be able to pick you up.”

“Oh, okay.” He looked down to the side and let his shoulders slump momentarily before attempting to hide his disappointment by burying himself into getting milk out of the fridge. 

“I’m not going to be busy around 4, AJ.” Lee said, finishing off his toast. “I could pick you up if you wanted to avoid that bus ride.” 

“Sure. I’d rather do that.” AJ poured himself a bowl of Cheerios (meaning they were out of any Coco Chunks) and sat down next to Lee at the small kitchen table. 

Clementine started at her oatmeal, watching as AJ grabbed a pen and started doodling on the printed pictures in the newspaper that Lee had discarded on the table. “You should give Howards glasses so he can catch the pass next time.” Lee pushed the sports section towards AJ, who laughed and proceeded to elaborated further onto the picture of the sports star. 

“Better yet give him another arm.” Clem joked. Moments like this made her feel immense gratitude for Lee. She knew he didn’t like it when she thanked him for his efforts in making AJ and her lives better, but she knew it took a person of the most tender character to do all the things he’s done for them. _You should be thanking yourselves, Sweetpea. You’re strong kids. You didn’t learn all that from me._

“Alright you two, look at the time.” Lee cleared his throat. AJ and Clem glanced over at the green glowing numbers on the oven. 7:15. 

AJ stood up from his monstrous edit of the newspaper and dumped his dishes in the sink before treading upstairs to brush his teeth. 

“I gotta get that car fixed.” Clem mumbled as her dishes joined AJ’s in the sink. 

“I was wondering where you were with that. There’s that mechanic’s place over by Main.” 

“Someone from school recommended a place where they knew a guy working there.” She had started her way towards the stairs. “She didn’t say where it was though.”

“Well if you can find this ‘place where they know a guy working there’ that’d be great.” Lee comically raised an eyebrow. “I’d hate to have that thing out all winter.” 

“If she’s on the bus on Thursday again, I’ll ask.” 

She ducked in the bathroom while AJ was finishing brushing his teeth. “Was that two minutes?” 

AJ spit out the foamy toothpaste. “It was one and a half.”

“Good enough.” Clementine let the kid slide past her out the door to grab his backpack from his room. 

She finished up in the bathroom, feeling the chill of the tiled floor through the hole in her sock. As a habit she grabbed her baseball cap, the one from her father, from where it was hanging on her bedpost. When it started to snow too heavily she’d retire it for the year, but until then wore it nearly everyday. It was all she had from her parents. 

AJ and her both rumbled down the stairs, quickly saying goodbye to Lee and AJ grabbing a lunch bag off the table he had made the night before. Clementine darted her eyes back and forth as both of them jogged across the street to the side the bus had dropped them off last afternoon. She smiled to herself seeing AJ follow the exact same head motions. 

Clementine did glance down the sidewalk as the bus rolled up. Three middle schoolers that had ridden with them yesterday talking about a new video game; a couple young adults who were nursing on thermoses; a collection of middle aged passengers; and college students who were barely managing a conversation this early in the morning. None blonde and jean jacket sporting.

The pair boarded the bus, sitting near an open pair of seats near the front of the bus. The middle schoolers continued their video game conversation, “No way does playing in creative mode count. If you don’t beat it in survival mode, it doesn’t. Count.” Argued a girl who another girl responded to out of earshot, defending her achievement.  
Clementine noticed AJ peeking behind him at the kids. “Are any of them in your class?” She asked. 

“No. I think they’re out of my grade.” AJ answered, turning back forward in his seat and slouching down. Clementine frowned. She nearly started telling him how it would be alright, and that he’d find friends eventually, and even if he didn’t, he still had her. 

“Hey, goof- er, I know making friends is hard. You haven’t been here all that long…”

“I have been here that long.” AJ snapped. 

The two didn’t speak for a while as the bus lulled along. AJ continued to sulk, his arms folded over his chest as he stared blankly out the window. It was less windy today, the leaves only drifted down gently in and out of the long shadows created by the rising sun to land on the frosted ground. 

“Are you going to show me more of your comic tonight?” Clementine asked.

“If you want,” AJ’s spirit was tickled again. “I’ve gotten pretty far.”

“I hope you’re not working on it in class,” Clem scolded him, keeping a sly grin on her face as she side eyed him. 

“Uh... no.” AJ put on a mock show of innocence. 

The city bus wheezed to a halt on the same barber and sandwich shop as yesterday. She already was feeling a sting in her gut. AJ waited and watched the other middle schoolers stroll off the bus, along with a couple other adults. Clementine stood and let AJ slide around her to get to the bus asle. He paused to look back at her.

“See you tonight, AJ.” She said as the two exchanged hugs. 

“Yeah, see you Clem.” He slid his arms from around her waist and turned toward the bus door. “I’ll text you at lunch.”

“Not during class!” 

“I said lunch!” AJ threw his arms up in fake irritation, grinning back at her. 

Clementine returned back to her seat as the doors squeaked closed. She watched AJ trot faster in the direction towards Como Avenue, following the other students. She took the window seat to see him a bit longer. 

She looked down at her phone, seeing the text message from this morning asking her to come in to cover for someone’s shift. She accepted the offer, aware she didn’t really have a choice, knowing the manager. With an annoyed breath she readied herself for the day. She’d have at least an hour around noon to run over the the writing office to get her paper reviewed. 

 

\---------------------------

 

Violet yawned as she left her Interpersonal Communications class. She didn’t know what she regretted more, staying out until 3 last night or registering for a 9 am class. Probably staying out till 3 last night. And letting Marlon talk her into that fifth drink. 

With her backpack weighed down by her laptop she trekked down to the cafeteria. She had an hour to get all the stuff she should have got done last night, might as well go to a place with quality wifi on campus. It was only a bit past 11:30, she missed the early breakfast rush and since she had work at one wouldn’t be around for when lunch got busy. If it just kept quiet she could easily- 

“Hey-o, it’s Violet!” Cheered a peppy voice from behind one of the cafe counters. 

Violet whipped her head around to see Louis waving at her, wearing the blue polo shirt and an apron that cafe preppers wore. 

“You’re not supposed to work today.” Violet could already feel a throbbing headache coming on. 

“‘Wow, hey Louis, it’s nice seeing you’ ‘Of course Violet, love seeing you too.’” Louis puppeted a conversation on his hands. “I told you last night I was picking up a shift today! You didn’t even get that wasted!” 

She approached the counter, not willing to maintain a conversation by shouting across a room. “I didn’t get wasted at all, Louis. And yeah, I remember now that you say it.” 

“Do you, or was your brain only focused on getting information out me about random people in my class? The usual?” Louis playfully smirked as he readied to register her order. 

“Phff, whatever.” Violet handed over her card. “Yeah, what I usually get.” 

Louis swiped the card and passed off the order as she spoke. “You never were that clear on why you wanted to know about her.” 

“I was just thinking that…. She needed her car looked at. I wanted to recommend her where Mitch works but I was stupid and didn’t tell her the places name.” Violet put her card away and folded her arms. While there were people in the cafeteria lobby, no one was in queue to order at this specific restaurant so she stepped aside to wait for her food but kept in conversation range. No way was Louis done talking, she supposed she’d stay around. 

“Well I can give her the info. I see her next Tuesday.” He offered. 

“Sure, you’ll see her before I do.” Violet shrugged as she leaned her back against the gray purple counter. “Just don’t make it weird or some shit. Just like, say I mentioned not telling someone the shops location and you recognize her name as someone in your class.”

“Why not just tell her you recognized her homework as from Composition One, and you knew someone in the class?” 

“I don’t know, that seems weird.” 

“It’s the truth though.” Louis replied in a sing-songy voice. “No weirder than the idea of you continuing to talk about a stranger you met on the bus so much.”

“Eh, whatever.” Violet grabbed the plastic wire tray that Louis set down that held her order. 

“Not going to stay and chat huh?” 

“I still have shit to write.” Violet walked away towards a table near the edge of the lobby as Louis turned to attend to another student that had started to not so patiently look around the cafeteria for a more attentive register. She propped open her laptop and watched the screen glow to life. The hour passed as slow as hell yet didn’t provide enough time for her to get a solid start on her essay. Her mind just felt dull and blank, the Cambria text appearing on screen but not registering as anything quality enough to turn in. She rubbed the muscles in the back of her neck, closing her laptop and shouldering her backpack. 

“Go save the world Vi, one incoherent paragraph at a time!” Louis called out in between talking to customers and other cooks behind the counter.

Violet gave him a back handed wave as she left to head to the writing office. She didn’t bother giving anything more than a slight power walk of effort as she chugged her energy drink. She checked into the office center, saying a small greeting to the other students and stray teachers that occupied the desk and tables. She took her place at one of the speckled gray folding tables. Lot’s of appointments today…. As long as I don’t get another twenty page long philosophy student-

Her setup was interrupted by the rushed approach of a young woman. “Hi, I just need to get my paper looked over and the people other there said you’ve taken the class the most recently- Oh, hey!” Clementine stopped her rushed explanation when she and Violet made eye contact. “Wow, you work here?” She smiled. 

“Yeah, just like reviewing papers and stuff…” Violet knew she wasn’t hiding her surprise well. 

“That’s good because I need the help.” Clementine nervously laughed, taking a seat across the table from her. “I’m really not that good at writing.”  
“Even though you live with a college professor?” 

“That’s what all of my teachers have said.” Clementine grinned, taking out her printed out rough draft from her backpack. “I just don’t think the last paragraph is right. I’m going for an A, but if I get a B I’ll be more than happy.”

“I can respect that.” Violet gave a slight smile back, causing Clementine to break eye contact as she slid the paper the short distance across the table. The title indicated that it was a research paper about the global food crisis. Clementine found her eyes wander around as she waited for Violet to finish paging through her paper. Violet’s laptop had evidence of a removed sticker (but only if viewed intently, as it seemed to be thoroughly scrubbed off), her dark gray satchel was on the table, sporting the pin AJ had found yesterday, showed clear wornness along the seams, and she was once again wearing the same jean vest. She looked down to Violet’s hands flutter along her paper, tracking the words and ill frequently marking down sections with a crappy looking black pen. 

“Well, there is formatting problems, just right here I would split up the paragraph.” Violet looked up to catch Clementine’s eyes, “And the last paragraph here, I would restate the thesis closer to the end.” She moved her eyes to focus back down at the paper. Violet guided her through the rest of the marked sections of the paper, advising her on certain sections to be touched up. “It’s not that bad.” 

“But it is a little bad then?” Clementine chuckled. 

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Violet stumbled, but felt reassured with Clementine’s good natured self deprecation. “You’re citations are fine and your points work well. Just go through what I mentioned.” 

“Thanks,” Clementine gave a grateful smile. She looked down at her phone with a brief look of panic before she started to hurriedly put away her paper. “Work,” she explained in an unenthused tone. 

“Yeah.” Violet acknowledged casually. “Well come back if you want any help, I’m here everyday except Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday.” 

“I would if I had the time.” Clementine stood up, “My work schedule is pretty awful, and I get AJ whenever I can. But uh, maybe on Thursday right? ” She pushed a stray strand of wavy hair behind her ear as she stood to leave.

“Well if you do. And you still want help.” Violet and her exchanged a small goodbye as Clem left the writing office. _Thursday…. I’ll see her on Thursday because she takes the bus…. Because her car is broken!_ Violet shot up from behind the table and past a confused looking student, “One sec, I’ll be back!” She said as she quickly jogged towards the door, almost rounding the doorway corner and nearly running into an equally propelled Clementine.

They both blinked in surprised confusing. Violet pulled her face down from Clementine’s brown eyes and bringing her attention to what she had just pulled from her jean pocket. “Um, here.” She held out a wrinkled piece of paper. “That’s the address and number of the mechanic shop. I was stupid and forgot to give it to you before.”

“That’s what I was just coming back for.” Clementine shuffled back a few inches from Violet’s face and grabbed the paper from Violet’s fingers, looking down quickly at the smudged blue pen. “Thanks a lot for this, I owe you one.” she had already started turning away, but gave an appreciative smile. 

“Yeah, no problem.” Violet stuffed her hands back into her pockets after the touch, turning around to get back to the student she had left behind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit shorter than the previous ones, but the next will hopefully be longer! I hope to upload again next week! Enjoy  
> (Also warning there is some alcohol mentioned in this chapter, and will be mentioned in further chapters)

Beep, beep, beep, beep. Walls stretched up infinitely above, the whole hallway white and gray with a splash of a light green paint on the wall, leading down the hallway, meant to look inviting but seemed like rotten mold spreading down the bricks. There were doors on each side down the miles long corridor, all closed but with explicit sounds of coughing, groaning, and spittle. She heard steps behind her, clicking against the tiled floor, getting faster and faster towards her. In a panic she ran down the hall, scrapping at doors to let her in, but each knob was locked; looking down the hallway with fear she saw the monster in teal sheets hulking closer. She finally found a door that was open, she rushed in, but it was too bright to see anything in the room, only hear the beep, beep, beep, be-

Clementine sprung up with a start, wildly looking around the room, her breath fast and heart thumping against her chest. She didn’t recognise the room, the odd shapes and turns of the wall not where she grew up. It wasn’t until her eyes settled on the familiar drawings pinned to the bulletin board did her brain register where she was. This was her room, her and AJ’s new room, in the new house. Everything started to lock back into place. Her hat on the knob of the bed, the closet half opened with clothing hanging up, AJ’s breath as his blankets rose and fell. She hadn’t woken him. 

She tapped her phone; nearly midnight. As quietly as she could she crept out of bed, placing her feet carefully on the floor to avoid the creaks of the house. Rusling into her blue jacket she had left hanging on the chair, Clementine opened the door to the night air and took a relieving breath. With her palm firmly around her jackknife in her pocket, she felt secure enough to slip outside. She leaned up against the wooden pillar that help the small outcropping up over the front door. It wasn’t safe to linger outside for long, but the crisp of the air on her lungs calmed her. She wasn’t a little kid, back at the hospital. She was right here, present, watching the leaves rest dead still on the sidewalk-

“Clementine?” A voice interrupted the silence, and she gripped the jack knife in her pocket tightly. “Oh shit, is that not you?” In front of her on the sidewalk stood a pale figure with it’s attention directed towards her. But the voice was recognizable, as was the face as Clementine’s eyes met with the other’s expression. 

“Violet?” She said equally as confused, however lowering her guard. "What are you even doing out here?” 

“I was just walking back to my apartment, from uh, I guess my friend’s house. Why are you here?” Violet rubbed her watery eyes to focus better on the person standing on the small concrete steps. 

“Just…. Spending some time alone.” Clementine could catch a strained tone in her voice, and from the yellow streetlight see a clear shine around her eyes. “Are you… alright?” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Violet looked away. 

“You just sound upset.” Clementine curtly answered. 

Violet grimaced, regretting how she had replied to Clementine’s question; why’d you have to sound like such a bitch? “Sorry, yeah… I…. these last few weeks have just sucked.” 

“It’s not safe to be walking around alone.” 

“I do it a lot, so it’s whatever… I didn’t want to go home with Brody anyway, so….” 

Clementine sat down on the concrete steps, holding her eye contact. Violet read the invitation to join her, and took a hesitant step forward but not following through. 

“Do you…. Wanna talk about it?” Clementine affirmed her intentions. She knew it was an odd, maybe inappropriate request, but it was fueled by a fear of Violet being out alone and…. Honestly a person to sit with. 

Violet checked behind her and awkwardly went over the the house, lowering herself down on to the cold steps. It wasn’t until she was closer that Violet noticed Clem was wearing baggy plaid pajama pants, with her hair running free out of the hair ties Violet had always seen her previously in. “Couldn’t sleep?” Violet asked. 

“Yeah… some nights… I get pretty bad dreams.” Clementine could smell the light, but pungent smell of alcohol coming off of her aura. Based on how Violet acted, she didn’t seem to have drank too much however, but if further worried Clementine about her ability to get back to her apartment. 

 

“That sucks.” Violet gave her a sincere gaze. “What are they about?”   
“Stuff that’s happened in the past.” Clementine didn’t seem to want to elaborate on the content, which Violet didn’t press on. “I think it’s moving to a new place, kinda freaks me out.” 

“And being outside alone at night doesn’t freak you out?” 

Clementine gave a side eyed smile, “Everything is slow at night. Not so overbearing and active, less to pay attention too. You get a moment to think. Besides, I got my jack knife.” 

“Same.” Violet flicked her own knife out of her jean pocket. Clementine observed in approving interest as the small blade glinted in the street light before Violet stowed it away. 

“So, you’re coming from your ‘I guess friends’ house?” Clementine brought her attention from the trinket, now gone, to Violet’s face. It was too murky out to see her face clearly, but the yellow shine on her face from the streetlight Clementine could imagine the skin surrounding her eyes red. 

“The same guys who have a rental. They can be like, super annoying. Not all the time, but… there’s just so many dudes. I just get sick of it sometimes.” Violet kept kept her focus forward, not meeting Clementine’s stare. 

“What about Brody? Is she your roommate.” 

Violet sniffed in indignance. “Yeah, we’re not always on good terms. We aren’t even supposed to be roommates, I was supposed to move in with Minn-” The Violet’s throat didn’t let her speak anymore. Maybe she was more buzzed than she thought.   
“Was she your girlfriend?” Clementine asked, which caught Violet off guard. 

“Uh, yeah.” Violet rubbed the tension in the back of her neck. “I didn’t mean to bring that shit up… we broke up over a year ago.” They sat quietly, a few blocks away a car pulsed by and light churrs of toads filtered in the still air, along with the breath of the two women. 

“Ah, shit, I probably had too much to drink tonight.” Violet shifted the mood with a slight chuckle. 

“Did you? You smell like it.” Clementine smirked back at her. 

“You don’t?”

“Not really, I’m only twenty.” 

“And?” 

“Don’t have the time, or desire. Wouldn’t be a good model for AJ.” 

“Damn, I wish I was as good of a big sister as you.” 

Clementine felt her cheeks flush against the chilled air. She couldn’t hide the spreading smile on her face, and knew Violet caught it, to which Violet smiled subtly back. A ding, sounding far to blaring on the hushed Sunday night, echoed from Violet’s pocket. The glow burned both of their eyes as she checked the slightly cracked screen. She tapped something quick, they slipped her phone away. “Ruby, she’s worried about me. Asking if I got back alright. I guess if I don’t get there before Brody does she’s going to throw a fit.” Violet stood from the concrete steps. Clementine noticed she wasn’t all that wobblily, but she was still concerned. 

“Do you want me to go with you?” 

“Then who’s going to come back with you?” 

“I’m not drunk.” 

“I’m not either. I got this far.” 

“Here,” Clementine motioned towards the pocket that contained Violet’s cell phone. “I’ll give you my number, text me when you get back.” 

Violet complied, handing her phone over. Clementine did feel jittery giving her number out (and maybe also by Violet watching her fingers tap on her phone), but convinced herself of the importance of the other getting home safe as more necessary than her own feelings. Passing the phone back, she felt the stroke of Violet’s fingertips against the back of her knuckles. It was dark, she would give the other the benefit of the doubt of not being able to see where to reach all the clearly. Which would be a true conclusion, as Violet swiftly moved to take her hand (along with her phone) away. 

“I guess I’ll see you around.” Violet’s eyes seemed to keep dancing to the side. “Thursday or whatever.” 

“Keep your eye out, maybe we’ll see each other before then. We do go to the same school.” 

“Yeah, I will.” Violet turned away, continuing her course down the sidewalk. Clementine remained outside until she saw her cross the street, and Violet was too far away to see effectively at night. Clementine reluctantly crept back into her house, silently retracing her careful steps back up the carpeted stairs to her room. Before laying back in bed she looked over to AJ; still asleep. She was fully distracted from her own worries, (whether or not they were resolved) and resting her head down, her breath slowly fell in melody with AJ’s. 

With less conscientiousness Violet entered her own apartment block. The only preparation she did for the night was throw off her jacket and jeans before throwing herself on her bed. Checking the clock, it was past one. She already was going to get less than 6 hours of sleep. In the darkness of her room she pulled up the group chat and replied she got home just fine. Next she looked to her contacts, feeling a static of excitement as she scrolled through the alphabetical list. ‘Clem’. There it was. As she promised, she sent her a message;

_got back just fine_   
_Even if you didnt want to, im glad you moved here_


	4. Don't worry, it's not cancelled (UPDATE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not getting a chapter up last week, but this fic is NOT cancelled! I'm just having to edit around my schedule so I can make time to produce something of quality. I hope everyone understands!   
> My current goal is to keep updating twice a month


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Car rides always seem kinda intimate don't you think?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 60 kudos and 700 views?! Thank you all so much for enjoying my indulgence :)  
> Also, I'm hoping to include some of art every once and a while if I get the time and inspiration to do so. Idk, maybe it'll be fun, who knows?

_Is 8 alright?_

Violet looked down at the new text on her phone as she was waiting around in the library for the printer to sputter back to life. It was from Clementine. The two hadn’t talked since last Monday morning, when Clementine had sent ‘I’m glad you got home safe’. Which Violet realised was probably her fault. She cringed when she looked at the sappy, overly attached text she had sent that night. She probably thinks I’m a desperate mess. But this text was puzzling.

_what?_

She sent back. Three minutes later, a reply:

_Phat’s Grill? Louis said they were hiring and got me an in there. Didn’t he tell you? He said you and some others were going there tonight and asked if I wanted to come along_

Violet clenched her jaw. God damn it Louis. It was equally likely that Louis had genuinely forgot to tell her as it was likely that he had deliberately not told her to fuck with her. 

_yeah he didn’t tell me that._

_It seemed kind of like a weird invitation to me, but I wouldn’t mind getting a hang on the atmosphere. And if you were there, I’d sort of know somebody.  
But… if you weren’t expecting to go…_

She tried to think of an appropriate response. Clementine didn’t deserve to feel her frustrations, but she couldn’t manage much enthusiasm. 

_No, i’d go. But i’m stuck at school until 8._

_My cars fixed, I could pick you up?_

_Her eyebrows raised at the unexpected offer. but she tried to reply as casual as possible._

_I guess if you have time. I’m by the west parking lot_  
_If that’s alright for you_

_Sure_

Violet looked over the text messages. A normal conversation, if she forgot the soppy message it started from. And that’s all it was. A normal conversation, with her and Clem.

\---------------------------------- 

Clementine did manage to find the parking lot, but was later than eight by over ten minutes. She had dwelled at home pushing down the knots in her stomach. She wasn’t usually away from AJ at night. He seemed alright with it, but she still wanted more permission from him. As she pulled along the curb she sent Violet a text indicating she was here, and let the car keep humming. She took a deep breath to calm herself as she waited, trying to unclench her sweating fingers around the steering wheel. Her nerves weren’t helped by the sun being down and the only light available was the fluorescent white bulbs from the university lights. 

She caught the movement of the building’s door out of the corner of her vigilant eyes. She took the time to clearly identify the figure approaching her car, but didn’t unlock the door in time to when Violet arrived at the car, leaving her to pull once at the handle fruitlessly. 

“It’s just me.” Violet said as she was allowed into the car. “Uh, thanks for the ride?” 

“No problem.” Clementine noticed the crack of uncertainty in the other’s voice. “Running into each other at night, should we make this a weekly thing?”

Violet gave her an amused slight grin as she threw her backpack in the back seat. “Depends how this night goes. Hopefully you aren’t annoyed to death.”

“By Louis?”

“Honestly any of them could kill you.” 

“Maybe I don’t want to go tonight.” Clementine joked.

“If I’m going, then you’re going.” Violet replied with a slight laugh, which Clementine appreciated. Clementine started out onto the road after navigating through the lot. 

“Looks like the car is running alright. Mitch wasn’t an asshole about it, was he?”

“Car’s fixed, that’s all I care about.” Clementine didn’t elaborate any further, which seemed to give Violet all she needed to know. While Mitch did agree to fix the car, he wasn’t overly helpful about it, making a show of grumbling about the part he’d have to order. 

“It’s kinda cool there.” Violet leaned towards the window. “At Phat’s I mean, when you avoid the annoying as shit drunk people. Lots of weird old junk on the walls, pretty cliche. And cheap drinks. Oh shit, I guess you won’t be drinking.” Violet looked over with a seeking apologetic expression. 

“Don’t worry about it, I’ve been to bars before.” Clementine chuckled. 

“Is that you as a kid?” Violet motioned after a moment of silence, with her eyes at the photograph taped to the dashboard. As they traveled down the road she noticed Violet sneaking glances at the various nick-nacks around the car. Like her room, Clementine kept a series of mementos around her car, and she was quick to return them to their positions after picking the car up from the shop. 

“Yeah. That’s Lee and I.” Clementine snuck a look down to the photo. It was a snapshot of her and Lee at an old wooden picnic table, both of them squinting in the hot Georgia sun. She could remember the day well. They were down at Kenny’s house, she remembered playing with Duck and daring each other to taste a salt lick the two of them had found in the woods. “We were at Lee’s friend’s house, I used to play with his kid a lot. By that I mean I used to chase him around with beetles.” 

Violet smirked. “Wow, so you were a little shit back then, huh?” 

Clementine playfully strugged. “Yeah, and I bet you didn’t do anything like that as a kid.” 

“Sometimes I used to steal my sister’s chicken nuggets after we went to church.”

“That’s pretty bad. Weren’t you her older sister?” Clementine laughed. 

“Yeah, I was, I don’t know why I would do it, it seems fucking mean looking back on it. I guess it was those dumb things siblings do. My Grandma only caught once though, so I’d say I was pretty successful at it.” 

“Did you live with your grandma?” Clem asked.

“No, but she came over a lot, and my sister and I went over there often. Sometimes it seemed like she took care of us my more than my parents did.” Violet abruptly stopped talking as she saw Clementine looking over with sympathetic interest. Violet’s smile lessened as she abruptly stopped talking and drooped further into the passenger seat. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get into that. If you pull in here, you won’t have to pay for parking in the lot.” Violet motioned to a parking space along the curb as they drew up upon the restaurant. 

Clementine easily found a spot with the few patrones out at this time of night on a Tuesday. Violet was waiting for her on the sidewalk, the harsh blue and red lights from the neon sign traced one side of her body. Her mind started formulating all the reasons she was here and what she planned to gain out of the night, but seeing Violet’s calm and patient stare highlighted in the glow quieted her mind. It was possible she could just enjoy the night for was it was…

The two of them walked into the restaurant and quickly gained the notice of Louis, who was standing at a bar table with four other people close to the entrance. 

“Look it, the gangs all here!” He beamed at the two arrivals. 

“Yeah, thanks for the invite, Louis.” Violet gave a bitter stare, to which Louis only responded with a theatrical shrug. 

“Not my fault you haven’t been present on the group chat.” 

The others walked over from the area they were mingling, and Clementine tensed, realizing a hitch in the night.  
“Can we get a proper table tonight?” Violet asked, as she and Louis exchanged knowing eye contact before Louis could say anything. 

“You want to sit with the old people?” A young man with blonde hair that was cropped at the sides smirked. 

“Come on Marlon, the drinks are off no matter where you sit.” Louis spoke.

“You can just say she’s under 21.” Marlon shrugged. “We’ve been here with Willy, no big deal.” 

“I don’t want to babysit all night.” One of them grumbled, who Clementine recognized as Mitch. Even so, she still gave him an indignant glare. 

“Says the one who always invites Willy along.” Violet leaned in closer to Clementine as she raised her eyebrows at Mitch.

“If you wanted to, you could get her in. Fake IDs aren’t that hard.” Mitch muttered as they managed to win over a table. 

“Yeah, if I didn’t work here.” Marlon scolded in jest, but this appeared to be enough bite for him to drop it. 

Clementine hung back to watching the seating arrangement play out. There didn’t seem to be much of a debate who sat where, with Louis and Marlon drawn to the middle seats with everyone else fitting in. She wasn’t surprised to see Mitch take one of the edge seat close to Marlon. Her interest was set on the opposing edge seat closer to Louis in an effort to avoid him, but also to keep from being the stranger stuck in the middle of the whole group. When she reached her hand down, she found her fingers caught next to Violet’s. She pulled her arm back as the two met eyes. 

“It’s fine, here.” Violet settled into the chair adjacent by Louis. 

“So, this is Clem!” Louis pointed over at her, and she gave a small greeting. “She’s going to be working here with Marlon and I!”

“The new recruit!” Marlon have her a genuine grin. “Good to meet ya.”

“That’s Ruby-” Louis motioned over to a freckled red-haired young woman in a green coat. “and that’s Aasim-” He pointed to a young man in plaid sitting on Louis’s other side. “Mitch-” Who only gave a small nod. “And you know Violet already.” 

“Are you guys in class together?” Ruby asked in a thick southern accent. 

“We used to take the bus together while my car was broken.” Clementine answered. “I couldn’t figure out the bus routes, so… we started talking.”

“What a boy scout.” Louis nudged Violet, who gave an annoyed grunt. 

“So you’re taking classes at RU then?” Marlon asked. 

“Part-time.” Clementine replied. Her eyes started wandering as she assessed the restaurant. She didn’t have much to compare it to, but so far Louis’ and Violet’s description of the place was accurate, and her fears of it being a garish hole in the wall with slathering drunks had not. In her head, she was already formulating how she’d work here, how she’d slip into that hollow customer service mindset, wondering which people were regulars and she’d have to be particularly nice to them even if they were assholes, wondering if she would have late nights away from AJ, wondering right now if he was okay, if he had done his homework, if Lee remembered to lock the doors, if-

“Clementine.” Her attention was snapped from the avalanche starting in her head back to the table and saw them all looking at her. Violet had her hand lightly placed against her’s under the table, and was looking at her with concern. 

“Are you alright?” Louis asked,with a light expression slowly falling into more worry.

Clementine felt the environment of the restaurant seep back into her mind, the last feeling to settle was the dusting of Violet’s fingertips leaving her knuckles. “Uh, yeah, I’m fine.” She held onto Violet’s face for only a moment, her clear hazel eyes out of place in the clutter of the neon signs and bold glow of the yellow lights.

“You sure?” Aasim asked. 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Clementine hardened her expression. 

With some reluctance, the group moved on as the waiter appeared at their table. What seemed to also be a routine, all of them ordered cheap appetizers along with a selection of drinks that were a couple dollars off for the night. Clementine quickly looked down at the menu and ordered something safe. 

“So, tell us some more about yourself Clem.” Louis turned towards her. 

“Like what?” 

“I don’t know, what are you hobbies?”

“I don’t know…” Clementine shrugged. “I’m in college who has time for hobbies?” A comment that brought out a laugh from the table.

“You like sports?” Marlon asked.

“Yeah. I used to go to baseball games a lot when I was younger. Football, baseball, I like that kind of stuff I guess.”  
“Same here! Marlon and I were on the football team in high school.” Louis and Marlon exchanged a reminiscing smile. “Hey, you should come to one of the college games this season! Violet, you’d even be invited too.” 

“Ugh, no way. Not in a million years.” Violet grimaced.

“Well, that explains the hat.” Louis motions to the worn cap on her head. 

“It was my Dad’s.” Clementine nodded, running her finger through the droplets on her water glass. 

The conversation carried on, fluctuating in importance and applicability to Clementine. Mitch and Aasim got in a small argument about whether college was worth going to, Louis and Marlon talked about the university’s football team, a conversation that Clementine found herself able to join in on at parts, and Ruby and Louis started swapping stories about whether the nurses office where Ruby worked saw the weirdest cases or the student support services office where Louis picked up hours. 

After their several appetizers that would serve as the main meal arrived, a looseness settled on the group as each started on alcohol dulled down by syrupy mix ins. Violet pawed lightly at her drink, giving an offering look at Clementine. Before she could answer, Louis turned her attention back to her.

“I never got to ask you,” Louis turned his attention back on Clementine. “Why are you here Clem? Where’d you come from?”

“Georgia. I guess just to get a fresh start.”

“Trying to escape those high school ex’s?” Louis teased, raising his eyebrow. 

“No.” She answered shortly. “I’m not running from them.”

“But you did have ex’s?” Louis pestered. “Or perhaps a long distance Georgia romance?” 

“Oh my god Louis, shut up.” Violet pressed her fingers on the bridge of her nose. 

“I dated a guy once.That’s it. It was dumb, not worth it. Just stupid high school.” Clementine responded stiffly. She hadn’t thought of her childish fling with a boy in high school, Gabe. Despite her sharp words she didn’t hate him, he was nice even if he was a dork and they did have those fun, bubbly high school feelings for each other. She broke it off before sophomore year even started. It was high school, not meant to be anything more and by far too distracting. 

“Alright, alright.” Louis gave a defeated shrug, looking a little hurt by her harshness, but still in good humor, a reaction which Marlon seemed to find amusing. “Seriously, a fresh start does everyone good, I hope you enjoy your time at RU.”

“Thanks.” Clementine accepting his withdrawal. 

The group didn’t linger too long in the restaurant after finishing eating, leaving as generous of a tip as they could afford. 

“You guys wanna come over to the rental?” Marlon asked Clementine and Violet as he stuffed his hands into his varsity jacket when they were outside. 

“I have to go home, I wake up early tomorrow. It was nice meeting you all.” Clementine press her keys to unlock her car door. 

“Alright, see ya this week Clem. Vi, you coming with?” Louis called from down the street next to Marlon and Mitch, after the three of them had said goodbye to Ruby and Aasim. “Come on Vi, who else are we going to beat at Fifa tonight?” 

Violet rolled her eyes. “Would you like... mind if I go with you?” She lightly scratched the back of her neck. 

“To my… house?” Clementine gave her a perplexed blink.

“No.” Violet answered in a vexed tone. “Like if you could just get me to your house, I can walk the rest of the way home.” 

“Oh, yeah, sure I can drop you off at your apartment.” Clementine hoped the dramatic lighting from the bar hid the flush on her face.

“I’m not going tonight Louis.” Violet called back.

“Boo!” Louis chided back. “We better see you sometime this week! Both of you!” 

Once again the two young women climbed into Clementine’s car. Violet perked at the mumble of the radio, turning the dial up.

“You listen to this station?” She asked.

“Lee and I used to listen to a lot of old rock together. I guess I’m trying to induct AJ into it also.” Clementine focused on pulling out onto the road, retracing the turns she took to arrive. “Why, is this stuff not cool anymore?” 

“No, it’s still cool.” Violet settled back into her seat, content at the volume. “I had this album when I was younger, used to sneak listening to it when my Grandma was over.”

“Did she not like rock music?”

“Oh she liked rock music, she just thought I was too young to listen too it.” Violet smirked. “Thought it was a ‘bad influence’ or some shit.” 

“And you called me a little shit.” Clementine laughed. 

“I don’t know, maybe she was right.” Violet laughed with her. 

The two sat in the hearty vibrations of the electric guitar and crooning of the lead woman vocalist, Violet drumming fingers against the arm rest. After a series of more turns and instructions by Violet, they ended up in front of the brick apartments. Violet unbuckled her seat belt, prepared to leave. 

“Mind if I ask you something?” Violet asked, looking uncomfortable. 

“Sure.” 

“How did you know Mi- erh, how did you know I had a girlfriend, last Sunday.” 

“The pin AJ found. I sorta recognized it.” Clementine gave her honest answer. “I thought it was safe to assume...” 

“So you know about that kinda stuff?”

“I mean I guess a little. Like I said, I haven’t ever really had time for dating.” Clementine shrugged. “If I wasn’t scraping by in school I was taking care of AJ. He’s more important.” 

“You’re a good sister to him.” Violet nodded.

“I try. Sometimes it just feels like I’m his mom or something.” 

“Does he not live with her?”

“No. We both don’t have one around anymore.” The words just came out of her mouth. Clementine clenched her jaw, bottling up any other words that might leak out.

“Oh shit… I’m sorry about that.” Violet looked over with sympathy. Clementine did catch a twitch of the other’s hand being pulled towards her, but then settle again on her lap. 

“It’s fine.” Clementine swallowed. “I don’t feel all that sad usually. It happened such a long time ago, and AJ doesn’t even remember his parents. Just sometimes when I get into it…” She looked over at Violet’s eyes. Her face was reassuring, something open yet sturdy. Again Violet’s face was traced by the dim lighting from the streetlights outside, her hazel eyes still managing to shined in the dark. It made her feel present, away from her fading memories. It was then Violet averted her eyes away coyly, and Clementine realized she had been staring too long. _Shit, that was weird, wasn’t it?_

“I guess if you want to reach me, you have my number or whatever.” Violet broke the silence. 

“Or you could text me first, if you’re really so grateful I’m here.” Clementine tried to break the tension with her snark, referencing the first text between the two. 

“Uh huh, okay yeah I was drunk.” Violet grumbled, but Clementine could tell there wasn’t any real annoyance. She got out of the car, walking around and starting onto the walkway up to her apartment. 

Clementine rolled down her window. “See ya later.” 

“See ya Clem.” Violet waved back


End file.
